Of Graveyards and Old Habits
by Burst.ofSILENCE
Summary: Nico/Rachel Oneshot. Girlfriend or not, she feels like she doesn't deserve to be introduced to the most important woman in Nico di Angelo's life.


**Hi :) Another Nico/Rachel fic originally created for the rachel_nico comm in LJ. This one's a bit more serious compared to my other Rico's. I've always wanted to see Nico visiting the dead in the more traditional way.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.**

* * *

><p><strong>Of Graveyards and Old Habits<strong>  
>"<em>When you find the woman you love as much as you love me..."<em>

"Where are we?" She asks the son of Hades as he pulls her along by the hand. She has every right to know, especially since she hadn't expected him to shadow travel them to a place of doom and gloom on their anniversary.

_(Yes, the Oracle and the Ghost King._ Together _Together. But that isn't really the point right now.)_

"A graveyard in New Orleans." He states, briefly nodding to a teenager with dark clothes and features. Before she can smack him (some things never change, after all) for stating the obvious, he adds: "We're here to see someone."

Rachel frowns. "Who, that kid? I mean, he is kind of cute, and he sort of reminds me of you, back when you were sixteen. But in case you haven't noticed, Nico, he has _dog ears_and – Greek mythology be damned – that isn't normal."

"No, not him." He assures her as the corner of his mouth lifts in amusement. "The Oracle of the Greeks shouldn't have to bother with gods of other myths, anyway."

She lifts an eyebrow, but he doesn't elaborate further. So she moves on.

"So we're here to see a dead guy." She says flatly. He nods. "Why not just go to the Underworld and see their ghost, then?"

Nico's face darkens. "I'm forbidden by my father." He replies as he stops in front of one of the stone slabs.

Before she can ask him to explain, the name on the stone slab catches her eye and she realizes who they're here for, and what Nico intends to do. Her mouth goes dry.

Oh gods.

Rachel knows the son of Hades has the tendency to be old-fashioned; she's dated him long enough to figure that out. It's a habit of his that was ingrained into him a long, long, _long_ time ago. But never has she thought that he's old-fashioned enough to do _this,_of all things. She isn't ready for this moment, dammit.

Girlfriend or not, she feels like she doesn't deserve to be introduced to the most important woman in Nico di Angelo's life.

She pulls her hand away and slowly moves backwards, shaking her head. "Oh, no. Nononono_no_. I can't do this."

"Rach, it's a tombstone. It's not going to kill you." Nico snorts, but she knows that tell-tale drum of his fingertips on his jeans. He's as nervous as she is.

"Do we really have to do this? Now?" She sounds almost pleading, because she _really_doesn't think she can handle this and she doesn't deserve to be put in such a high regard in Nico's eyes—

He looks down at his shoes, mumbling. "I want to do things right."

Her internal meltdown falters as she stares at him.

There is no way Nico just brought her here on a whim. He has put a lot of thought into this. If that's true, then that means he's serious about her, about _them._And while she really does love the Ghost King, she isn't sure what to make of all this.

"But..."

"Please, Red?" Now he's the one who sounds pleading. It makes her realize how important this is to him. To him, he won't just be showing off his girlfriend. To him, he will be bringing his past, present, and future – the woman he loved (and still does) and the woman he loves (and will keep on loving) – together. He really wants to do this.

And, well, Rachel has never been any good at turning him down.

Stepping forward, she tentatively slips her hand in his and squeezes. He laces their fingers together and squeezes back reassuringly. The small, grateful smile on his face tells her that – even though she's so nervous and basically scared shitless right now – she did the right thing.

Taking a deep breath, she looks away from him and faces the stone slab on the ground.

_Maria di Angelo_

_A daughter, and a mother. A wonderful woman by all means._

_"Not even the king of the gods will keep me from the ones I love."_

"Hi, Mama," Nico begins softly. "There's someone I'd like you to meet..."

* * *

><p><strong>Okay. I know Maria di Angelo lived in D.C., not New Orleans. But in the Demigod Files, Nico mentioned something about being in a New Orleans graveyard so... yeah. Anubis is just there for my own amusement (that, and he likes New Orleans xD).<strong>

**Review, please!**


End file.
